Arianne
by aroseisarose
Summary: A vistor to the hospital finds somthing serendipitous . Spoilers for seasons 8&9. Feedback is highly encouraged!
1. The Father

Disclaimer: I don't own anything dealing with ER, with the exception of Arianne.

Author's note: This is the follow up to "In Dreams and In Pictures" 

Doug Ross walked into the ambulance bay of County General, wondering what he would find. He hadn't been back since Susan's death all those years ago. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kerry Weaver. The red hair and the cane gave her away in a millisecond. 

"Doug?" she asked, not believing her eyes

"That's me. How are you Kerry?"

"Umm… fine. Where are Carol and the girls?"

" Carol's mom died, and she is with the girls making arrangements. I figured I'd drop by here and see what's been going on."

"Well, you know where everything is, so help your self. I have to go, but nice seeing you."

"Yeah, you too." he added as she walked off "Witch" me muttered under breath when she was out of earshot

Doug made his way in to the ER by way of the sliding doors. Looking around, he tried to find a familiar face. When the search proved fruitless, he approached the desk clerk.

"Hi, I was wondering if Carter was here."

"Yeah, in the lounge. It's right over there." He pointed to the set of doors on the left.

"Thank you"

Doug walked over the lounge, trying to figure out what to say. He opened the door, and was met with the site of a young woman, sitting on the sofa, looking out the window, and playing with a necklace.

"Excuse me, but do know where Carter is?"

"You found her. Can I help you?"

"Carter! There's a nine-year-old with a GSW to the abdomen, ETA is three minutes." a nurse yelled into the lounge.

"If you'd excuse me. I'll be back soon, but please sit down and help your self to some coffee."

Doug got down a mug from the shelf, and poured himself some. Taking a sip, he started walking about the lounge. The lockers were filled with unknown names for the most part. The walls had been repainted, and the furniture replaced, but other than that, it hadn't changed much. The refrigerator still had the smell of rotten food coming from it and the counters were still stained with coffee and the like. Taking a seat on the sofa, he set down the mug of coffee and picked up a magazine. After a bit, the young woman came back.

"Sorry about that."

"Oh, that's fine. I understand."

"So you said you were looking for me?" 

Doug studied her face. Her features looked so familiar, but her black, thick hair skewed who she reminded him of. She looked like he had seen her before.

"Yes, I was looking for Carter, but I've seemed to have found the wrong one."

"Let me guess. You were looking for a John Carter, right?"

"Right."

"I'm Arianne Carter, his daughter. But around here I'm just called Carter, and my father is called John. So now it's your turn. "

"I'm Doug Ross, and I used to work here, with your parents."

Arianne let out a laugh that sounded just like her mothers. It put anyone who heard it at ease. 

"What's so funny?"

"Your Doug Ross? The one who pulled all those stunts as the peds attending?"

"You could say that."

"Then I know all about you. Chuny tells me stories about you. I am the current peds attending."

"Wow, so what all did you hear about me."

"Everything."

"So where's your father?"

"He's in his office. He's the chief of medicine now."

"That is too much! Carter being the chief of medicine, I knew him when he was fresh out of med school. Do ever I feel old."

"That's what people say when I tell them who I am."

"So where is Carol? That's your wife's name right?"

"Yeah, how did you know that?"

"I know just about everything about everyone who used to work here. Chuny tells me everything."

"She's with the girls making funeral arrangements for her mother."

"Oh, I'd love to meet her sometime."

"She should be swinging by sometime later. We're going to be in town for a week."

"Do you want me to take you to the Dr. Carter that you were looking for."

"Sure."

Arianne led Doug to the stairs, and started up.

"Why don't you just take the elevator?"

"It still takes forever to get to the ER, so the steps are quicker. Besides it's only three floors."

Doug stayed a few steps below Arianne the whole time. When she got to the third floor, she took a left and started down the long hall. Doug knew this hall well, as he was always seeing someone about his actions down in the ER. She stopped in front of a wooden door, bearing the tag of "John T. Carter III: Chief of Medicine".

"Poppa?" Arianne asked, knocking

"Come in." was the reply. Doug thought that the voice was too old, too serious to be the Carter that he once knew.

Arianne opened the door, and held it for her companion.

"Doug?" John Carter asked

"Carter?" 

"How are you? Please, please come in!"

Arianne's beeper went off the same time she started to sit down with her father and his friend.

"Sorry, but I have to go. See you later, Poppa. Good Bye, Dr. Ross."

With that Arianne shut the door, and the men began to talk.


	2. The Son

Disclaimer: See the first chapter.

Author's notes: I am really lost on everyone's ages at this point. All that I can say, is Arianne is now an attending, and she graduated high school 25 years after the end of season eight. I think that it puts Carter in his mid to late fifties, but I'm not sure…so if anyone knows, please tell me by way of review…!

When the door shut, the two men started talking.

"So Doug, wow, it's been along time. What brings you back?"

"Carol's mom died, and she and the kids are making arrangements."

"Oh, will they be stopping by later?"

"Yeah, too bad none of the old gang is here anymore though."

"Let's see, Jerry still comes in every once and awhile. Chuny is still here and so is Yosh. Kerry of course, she wouldn't dare leave here. Romano just retired last month. Elizabeth went back to England, and Ella is a lawyer for the hospital. Randi moved about five years ago."

"So Arianne is a peds attending. I got a good laugh out of that. I thought that they wouldn't let anyone have that position after what I did."

"Yep, she's really good at it too. She seems to have her mom's people skills."

"Susan was good at that. She looks a lot like her too."

"Yep she does. Sometimes, I swear that she is more Susan's than she is mine."

"Well I see that she goes by Carter."

"I know, I finally am called Dr. Carter or John. I think the only one who calls her Arianne down there is Chuny."

"Well, your still going to be Carter to me, so don't think that you are too high and mighty for it"

John just laughed, but the laugh didn't seem to be as carefree as it once was. His eyes were worn from years of mounting guilt and personal struggles. The struggle of raising a girl as a single father, the guilt over Susan's death, Lucy's death, the drugs it all had made his eyes look so old.

Doug looked at the pictures hung around the small office. They were pictures of him and Susan on their wedding day, Arianne at various ages and graduations. Over the desk there was a picture taken of all those who were on the staff when John Carter officially became a doctor. Doug thought about how young they all were back then, and who they had now become. Then out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a small clipping of a news article about him becoming the youngest chief of medicine in the hospital's history next to his diploma. 

*** Down in the ER***

Arianne had just finished with a trauma, an eleven year old with a closed head injury from his skateboard flipping when it hit a bump in the street. They worked on him for a good forty-five minutes before he was stable enough to go up to surgery.

 She was lost in thought when she bumped into a handsome young man; causing him to drop the papers he was carrying. He got down and while doing so she bumped heads with the man.

"Oh I'm so sorry! Are you ok?" she asked

"I'm fine. How about you, you ok?"

"Just a headache."

"Me too."

"I can get you some aspirin if you want." Arianne asked as she got up with a pile of papers in her arms, handing them to their owner.

"Sure. Thanks Dr…" the man said

"It's Arianne Carter. And you'd go by?"

"Shane, Shane Ross."

"Oh, are you related to a Doug Ross?"

"He's my father." Shane said as he followed Arianne to the meds lockup. 

"Is your mom here? Or your sisters?"

"No, there're still planning nana's funeral. It got too depressing for me, so I decided to find my dad here. Wait, how do you know I have sisters? And how did you know about my dad?"

"Oh, know about everyone who used to work here, including your parents. Besides, I met your dad about an hour ago.

"Wait right here." Arianne said as she went to get the medicine

She was gone for a minute or so, and then came back with two round pills.

"The water fountain is just around the corner if you want to take them with something."

"I'm fine. So here's a question for you."

"Shoot"

"Are you John Carter's daughter?"

"The one and the only."

"Well then Dr. Carter…"

"Arianne." she interrupted 

"Arianne, my dad said he'd be wanting to see your dad. So if you know where your dad is, I can find mine."

"There still up in Poppa's office, I bet. Want to go and check?"

"Sure."

Arianne let Shane to the steps and up the three flights, her black ponytail bouncing with each step she took. Shane thought that Arianne was the nicest woman that he had ever met, also the prettiest. When they finished the accent, Arianne let her companion down the hall to her father's office. 

"Hey Dad!" Shane said out of the blue

Arianne looked up and saw Doug Ross heading toward them. They kept walking to him, until they met in the middle.

"I see that you have met my son, Arianne."

"Yes, and by a rather odd accident too." she said with a sly and sweet smile on her lips

"Shane, we have to get going. Mom and the girls will be wondering what happened to us."

"You start, I'll be there in a moment."

"Ok, I'll be at the ER steps."

Doug Ross started down the hall. Even though Shane and Arianne couldn't see his face, he was snickering. He knew what his son's next move was. The one characteristic Shane had to get from himself was his knack for the ladies. 

"Umm... if your not too busy tonight, would you like to get dinner or something?"

"I get off at seven tonight."

"Ok, so where do you want to meet at?"

"How about this little café called "Starry Dream? It's like two miles down the road from here and I can be changed and there by eight."

"Sounds good. I'll see you tonight then."

With that Shane Ross walked down the hall to the stairs, and Arianne to her Poppa's office.


	3. Dinner for Two

Disclaimer: I don't own anything retaining to ER, the powers that be do. Arianne and Shane come from my imagination so if that means I own them…then I do, but I make no monies off of them.

Author's Note: Please review! I love reading them!

Arianne had patient after patient right up until seven. To her it seems like the whole of Chicago's youth had to come to County that day. There were broken bones, two GSWs, a burn victim, and a troop of scouts who all had poison oak. Cardio had no beds for a six year old that needed treatment for a murmur. The girl was sleeping in curtain two, her mother saying the rosary in Spanish over her.  Overall, today was just one of those days that ever seemed to end.

Arianne was thankful that she could now get out of her doggie print scrubs, and go out for dinner. Going out Shane seemed like just the thing that could lift her spirits. She didn't go out much, not from the lack of wanting to, but rather the lack of time that she had to go out and meet people. Shane seemed nice enough, and if things didn't work out, he was only going to be here for a week. That was one thing that she got from her father, the knack for being able to find relationships that were free of snags, and could be just walked away from. John never told Arianne about his numerous failed relationships, but others had. Between Chuny and Abby, Arianne knew a lot about how her father was when he was younger, before he married her mother.

By seven-thirty Arianne looked presentable. She brushed out her long black hair, and braided two front sections, which she then secured at the back of her head. She was dressed on the conservative side things, a pair of black capris and a pale sage colored peasant short sleeve top and a pair of leather sandals that had flowers punched out of them. Abby came in the door just as Arianne was looking in the mirror to make sure she didn't overlook anything.

"Got a hot date, Carter?"

"Yeah, we're going to that little café down the street from here."

"So what's his name?" Abby asked, leaning against the wall

"Shane. Shane Ross."

"Ahh…I'm guessing that this is the guy that you nearly wiped out earlier today?"

Arianne laughed her easing laugh, and Abby smiled.

"You could say that. Turns out that he is going to be here for a week so I don't think that it will go anywhere, but it should be fun."

"Just like your father."

"Trust me, I won't do anything stupid. It's just dinner at the café and then I'll go home. End of story."

"If you say so."

Arianne nodded as she left the locker room and headed out the door. She got into her little sports car and headed to Starry Dream. The mugginess of the air seemed to press in and wouldn't let her go. Everything insight was wet and sticky. 

"Summer in Chicago, gotta love it." Arianne said to herself

The drive to the café was short, and she got there fifteen minutes earlier than she said she would. To her amazement, Shane was sitting on a bench that was in front of the café. He was holding something in his hands, but she could see what. Parking her car under a tree, she got out and walked over to her date, her sandals loudly slapping the hot concrete. 

  
When she got to the bench were Shane was sitting, he stood up.

"Hi, Arianne."

"Hi."

"I …I got this for you." He said with a nervous stutter.

Shane handed her a simple white box. When she opened it, she was astonished at what she saw. Inside was a tasteful halo made of wildflowers sitting in cream-colored tissue paper. 

"Shane, this is so pretty. Thank you very much."

"Do you want me to put it on for you?"  

"Yes, I would. This was so nice of you to do this, you know."

"It's nothing." Shane said while placing the halo on Arianne's head, and securing it with the bobby pins that came with it. "Shall we go in?"

"Let's, it's so muggy out here."

The café was blessedly air-conditioned, and the two sat underneath a blower. The waitress took their drink order and made a bit of small talk about the weather.

"So what do you do in Seattle?" Arianne asked

"I'm a reporter for the local newspaper."

"Sounds interesting."

 "Well it's not like your job is boring. From what I saw, it seems like there is always something going on." Shane stated as he reached for two menus, handing one off to his companion "What's good here?"

"I'd say the burgers are best bet along with the chicken platter, is really good too.  Salads are pretty deceit, just don't get the tuna salad."

"Well, I'll just get what your having then."

"Ok, sounds good to me."

As if on cue, the waitress came over, asking for their order.

"We'd like two house salads, and two grilled chicken sandwiches."

"Ok, that will be up in a few minutes hun."

The waitress walked off to the kitchen to place the order and the two could hear their order being yelled in short order.

"I hate being called 'hun' by perfect strangers."

"When total strangers call me 'buddy' I just want to go, 'I've ever in my life have seen you before, so how can I be your buddy?'"

"Amen to that!" 

Shane laughed at that, making is soft dimples come out, and causing his reddish brown hair to fall into his green eyes. Arianne thought that he was beautiful, and had that sweetness about him that was so hard to find these days. 

"Was this sweetness what brought my parents together?" she thought to herself

"So, Arianne, I hate to tell you this, but I am a really bad conversationalist."

"Really, you being a reporter and all?"

"That's not really conversation. All you have to do is ask questions about things, and your job is done."

"So, what sort of reporting do you do?"

"Mostly local, but I do some investigative stuff too."

"Ahh…I see." Arianne said, taking a sip of her water

"So tell me about yourself."

"What do you want to know?"

The waitress who placed their order on the table interrupted their conversation.

"This is to your satisfaction?"

"Yes ma'am, it is. Thank you very much." Shane said and was met by a rather annoyed look from the waitress who started to walk off

"What was that all about?" Arianne asked

"Getting back at her for calling you 'hun'."

"Really, you didn't have to do that."

"It's fine. Besides, she was bugging me too. So where were we?"

 "You wanted to know about me."

"Well then, tell me about your job."

"I take care of the kids that come through the doors of the ER. I am also in charge of putting the med students with someone. That's the part that I hate the most. I'm sure that you have heard about Lucy Knight, correct?"

"Yeah, my mom on valentines, always will go to the church and burn a candle for her."

"Poppa always calls Lucy's mom on valentines and talks to her for a bit, well that was before her mom died. He also always goes to her gave and puts a single white rose there."

There was a brief silence between the two. Finally Arianne spoke up.

"That happened along time ago though. I mean no one talks about it anymore. In fact there are only a few who know about it."

The conversation then picked up again. Arianne hadn't had this much fun in a long while, and had a feeling that Shane felt the same way. They talked and talked until the café was going to close, and the manager kicked them out. Slowly making there way out into the night the conversation continued.

"Hey, Arianne, tonight was really great. Do you want to go and check out a movie tomorrow night?"

"I'd love too. I had a lot of fun myself. In fact, I can't remember when I had this much fun."

"Don't say stuff you don't mean."

"Really, I mean it." 

Arianne leaned in and gave Shane a quick kiss on the forehead. 

"What was that for?"

"Being you." Arianne whispered while she was getting in her car "Tomorrow my break is at one-thirty, so if you want to stop by…"

"Good night, Arianne."

" 'Night."

With that Arianne drove off, leaving Shane with a feeling of satisfaction and peace that he hadn't known before. He got in his car, and drove to the hotel that they all were staying at. The whole time, all he could think about was Arianne Carter.


	4. On The Roof

Disclaimer: See other chapters.

Author's note: I don't know how Ella Greene would be in the future, but this is my best shot at it.

Arianne's day was slowly creping along, not one patient in four hours. She was getting nervous; because she was dead certain that the calm before the storm had arrived. It was only a matter of time before a major pediatric trauma would come in. Taking this opportunity she went to visit her best friend, who also worked for the hospital as a lawyer.

 Ella Hanovern nee. Greene had always been Arianne's best friend. They had a bond that no one else understood, mainly due to the loss of a parent before they could make any memories of them. Arianne was the maid of honor in Ella's wedding, and godmother to one of Ella and her husband Mike's three daughters. Arianne always knew that she would have a friend in Ella, and Ella a friend in her. 

Knocking on the door to Ella's office, she accidentally opened it. Ella was then phone, but flashed a smile, and motioned for her life-long friend to sit in one of the chairs in front of her desk.  After a few minutes, the phone call was ended and the conversation begun.

"Hey ya. What's going on in the ER?" Ella said, putting her reddish blond hair back into a clip

"The calm before the storm."

"Sounds like a blast."

"Have you heard stories about Carol Hathaway and Doug Ross?"

"Same one's as you I'd imagine. Why do you ask?"

"Because I went out with their son last night!" giggled Arianne

"Don't they live in Oregon or something like that?"

"Seattle, Elly, Seattle. They're in town for a few days, and I literally bumped into him."

 "Only you could get a guy who lives on the other side of the county." Ella said laughing, her eyes brightening

"I know. That's the Carter in me coming out. Abby was so kind enough to point out to me."

"Well from what I heard…"

"I've heard the stories too."

"Well just be careful. I mean we have a Ross and a Carter going out. This had outta be fun to watch."

"Thanks for all the support." Arianne said mockingly

"Any time. You know that."

"And the storm has blown in!" Arianne said as she turned off her beeper, and sprinted out the door.

"Bye to you too!"

Arianne hurried to the elevators, so that she wouldn't waste time going down the steps. She looked at her watch…and saw 1:25.

"Shoot! He's going to be here in five minutes, and I have a major trauma coming in." she thought as the elevator stopped on the ER's level.

Running to the Admit desk, she asked when the trauma was going to be in.

"ETA is in 2 minutes Carter."

Arianne put on the tissue paper coverings as she ran out in the ambulance bay. Chuny and Abby were out there before Arianne arrived. As soon as she did their conversation died down very quickly.

"Let me guess. You two are talking about me and Shane?"

"Well, Carter you do have to admit this is quite the story." Abby relpied

"Yeah, it's kinda of scary; the way this place works." Chuny added

"He's going back to Seattle in a few days, so don't make a big issue of it."

 The ambulance came in with a five-year-old girl who fell from her fourth story apartment balcony. Arianne worked on her for almost an hour, but when she fell, she had massive internal bleeding. Eventually she lost too much blood to be replaced and died. Arianne had to tell her parents, but they didn't believe that their daughter died. She took the grieving parents into the trauma room, and explained what everything was for and what exactly they did. She let them stay in the room with their baby and told the nurses to wait a bit before going in there clean up.

It was just about three in the afternoon when Arianne finally made it out into chairs to see if Shane was still there. She saw him trying to get a pop out of the vending machine, and failing. He so cute just standing there, trying to figure out what he was doing wrong. 

"Hey stranger." Arianne said, startling Shane

"Oh, hi. I was just getting something to drink."

"I can see that. Here, let me try."

Arianne got next to the machine and pushed it backwards. The drink came out and she handed it to her visitor.

"How did you know to do that?"

"Easy, I've been working here for awhile."

"So what took you so long?"

"I really don't want to talk about it. Hey, do you want to go on the roof and talk? I really need some air."

"Sure. You OK? I mean your not gonna pass out or anything?"

"Just had a really bad trauma, and I need to get out of here." Arianne said as she walked toward the elevator, motioning Shane to follow. 

The ride to the roof was crowded, and due to the humidity, almost unbearable. Finally, after stopping at all the floors but one, the two got off.  

"So is where you go when you need to get away?"

"No usually I go to my friends office."

"Why aren't we there then, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I've been getting some grief about last night from people."

"About how our fathers were infamous for their relationships?"

"How did you know?"

"Lucky guess. Changing topics, my nana's funeral is the day after next, and if you could, I'd like you to come."

"I have the day off, so just tell me what time and I'll be there."

"The service is at one-thirty in the St. Joseph orthodox cathedral on Gragen St."

"Ok, I know where that is."

"Hey, do you want to go out for coffee or something tonight?"

"I can't tonight. I'm pulling a double shift. One of the other peds doctor's wife had a baby last night so I said that would cover his shift."

"I totally understand." Shane said, and then looked at his watch "I have to go, Dad wants to go and show me some sites."

"Ahhh… yes the fine city of Chicago. I'll go back down to the ER with you."

Shane offered his hand to Arianne and they started to the elevator. No one wanted on, so they went straight to the ER.

"Carter! There is a ten-year-old who needs suturing!" Kerry yelled

"I have to go. The monster is on the loose."

"Bye." Shane said and walked out of the ER

  
  


  
  



	5. It Was Worth It

Disclaimer: See other chapters, I guess you could say at I own Adam and Joel too, but they aren't going to figure into the story very much, well at least at this point. 

Author's note: Please, pretty please with sugar on top, please review! 

Arianne woke up late on the day of the funeral for Shane's nana. She rushed about her modest apartment trying to get ready for the service. After going though her closet, she decided to wear a simple black sleeveless blouse and a knee length black skirt and black sandals. It was simple and understated, and to Arianne perfect for the occasion, if she could call it that. Then she swept her hair into a bun and let out some tendrils to soften the overall look.   

After a ten-minute drive Arianne walked into the stately older cathedral and was at a lost of where to sit. She wondered if it was appropriate for her to sit with the Ross', or by herself in the one of the back pews. The service was scheduled to begin in five minutes, so she had to make up her mind rather quickly. Shane caught her attention and motioned for her to sit by him and his family. She walked over there, fidgeting with her momma's necklace, just as she always did when she was either lost in thought or nervous. In this case it was the latter. 

"Hey beautiful." Shane whispered in her ear when they hugged, causing a look of a good type of surprise shock on Arianne's face

When they ended the embrace he continued with "Mom, Tess, Adam, Kate, and Joel, this is Arianne. Arianne these are my mother dearest and my two older twin sisters Tess and Kate, and my brothers-in-law. Kate is the one with the short hair, just so you know."

"Hello, Tess, Adam, Kate, Joel and Mrs. Ross." she said shaking each one of their hands in turn

"I can't believe how much you look like your mother." Carol commented, "Doug said that you looked like her, but I wasn't expecting this. You could pass for her if you dyed your hair."

"Thank you every much." she replied, once again going for the necklace and moving the pearl flower up and down the chain. 

Arianne sat on the end of the pew, next to Shane for the duration of the service. An uncle of Carol's gave a eulogy that was both humorous and touching. He talked about all the good times, and his sister's iron will. There was a childhood tale told and many tears shed. Arianne even began to mist up, even though she had never met Shane's nana.

During a hymn, Arianne wondered about her own mother's funeral. The topic wasn't really off limits, but no one liked to talk about it. She wondered what her poppa said in the eulogy and what flowers where on her casket. Was Abby was there for her recently widowed father, and what Chuny did to soothe her newborn cries during ceremony? She hoped that it was as nice as this funeral, because she knew that Susan Carter deserved only the best that could be offered.

The group moved to the mausoleum where Mrs. Hathaway was to be laid to rest. The usually cool building was warm and slightly muggy, much to the dismay of many there. The last ritual was preformed and the little group broke up. They went into their cars and vans and jeeps, all heading for the little family style restaurant down the street. 

Arianne and Shane sat at there own table, mainly for necessity's sake, but neither of them minded. They talked over the simple lunch of hot turkey sandwiches and whipped potatoes of life and how it should be lived to the fullest of everyday. 

"Arianne, there is something that I need to tell you before the plane leaves tomorrow morning."

"What?" she asked with a coy sense of flirty-ness, letting a smile play with the corners of her mouth

"I really want to make it work between us. You are everything good that I'm not. I want to stay in contact with you, because I don't think that I could exist in a world that Arianne Carter isn't a part of. Seattle is so far away from you, and I hate the idea of going back there, but I have to. So, now I really feel like I'm in the seventh grade or something, but will you go steady with me?"

"Shane, do you even need to ask? Of course I will, and you don't sounds like a seventh grader, you sound like a sweet guy who is gentle and caring. You are a great person and everything about you is good, please don't sell yourself short." Arianne said while touching the back of his hand

"Well in that case I have something for you." Shane opened up his billfold and pulled a colorful something out of it "Shut your eyes and hold your hand out, palm up."

He put a hand folded origami butterfly in her hand and then gently curled her fingers around it. She opened her eyes and her palm and saw the carefully constructed creation.

"It's beautiful, Shane, it really is." she whispered

"Well then it was worth it."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shane got on the plane that next morning, but not all of him was there. A part of his soul, his inner being was with Arianne Grace Carter. She held the part of him that was the most fragile, and the most able to be destroyed. Yet he trusted her with it, because he knew that it would all work out

Arianne had her shift, just as always. He mind drifted to Shane at every possible moment. Abby and Chuny were having fun with her and her new relationship with Shane Ross, but it didn't matter. They had the hope of more to come, and she was sure that something wonderful would result. 

Author's Note 2 : I know that it sounds like an ending, and I really feel that no one is reading this…so this way its open to either coming on or ending, but I really want it to go on so I think it will, but please review! 


	6. The Past Is Brought Up

Disclaimer: I still don't own anything retaining to ER, The Powers That Be do.

Author's note: Thanks for all the support, it really does mean a lot to me. Southernbelle, this is for you :^)

A week had past since Shane went back to Seattle and Arianne was still working up the courage to talk to her father. She could usually just come to him with anything that was under the sun, but this time it was different. This time it was about her mother's funeral, and she wasn't sure how her poppa would react to the topic being brought up. She decided to go over to her childhood home and talk to him there when her shift was over, and that was in five minutes.

Slowly, after checking that her charts were all finished, she went in to the staff lounge. Opening her locker, Shane's origami butterfly fell from the corkboard that she had in there. Pinning it back in, she took out her sandals and placed them down on the floor, putting her tennis shoes in the locker. After checking her hair and putting it up into an almost bun like thing, Arianne headed to her poppa's house, a few minutes drive.

Arianne walked up the steps of the brownstone home. Taking a deep breath, she knocked the knocker. The mugginess was oppressive and the heat relentless.

"Poppa, please open the door!" she mumbled

As if on cue, the door did open right after she had wished it to. John Carter, who was now in his 50's, was surprised to see his daughter at the door.

"Arianne, come in!" he said hugging her

"Hi, Poppa."

"I was just getting ready to eat, so if you want you can wash up and join me."

Arianne took the opportunity to go and freshen up in her own bathroom. She had her own since she was a child and still considered it to be hers. The décor was the same as it was since she moved out. The creamy yellow walls with the rubber ducky motifs all around. Splashing cool water on her face, Arianne gave herself a pep talk in the mirror, just like she did as a child. She walked down the stairs and into the diner style kitchen. Her poppa was in the booth and had two place settings laid out.

"I put on another piece of chicken for you." John said as his daughter sat opposite of him 

"Thanks. I know this was short notice."

"Don't worry about it, it's nice of you to come over."

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something."

"What's that?" he said as he took a forkful of peas to his mouth

"Ever since Shane's nana's funeral, I have been wondering about Momma's."

John looked at his daughter, and then at his plate, and back at Arianne. 

"Poppa, it's ok if you don't want to talk about it; really it is."

"No, no. I have wanted to tell you about it for a while now; I just never knew how to bring it up."

"Tell me what ever you want to."

"Well, I had her dressed in her wedding gown, she was the most beautiful of all the times that I have seen her when she wore that gown. The flowers that decorated the church that we were married in less than a year ago were her favorites, yellow roses. You were only a week old, when she was buried, a week to the day. Chuny took you up to the casket anyway and let you look at your momma's face. I think was the first time that you actually saw her. You cried before you got up there, but once you saw her, you quieted down. It was really amazing, and everyone there was blown away by it.

" I gave the eulogy, and I talked about how many lives that she had changed forever, both of ours included. Abby got up and sang a hymn that sent shivers up and down everyone's spine. The rest of the service was simple and ended with a graveside blessing."

Arianne started to cry, and Carter handed her a napkin, for that was all that was near them.

"It sounded like it was really nice."

"It was. Your momma only deserved the best that could be given to her.

\ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \

Arianne got a letter of Shane the next day in her mailbox. It was a simple, sweet note, and she knew that it was written from the heart, is heart of deepest hearts. He said that is work might take him to Chicago in a few weeks, and that if he did come, he promised that they could spend every possible moment together. When she was done reading the letter, she shut her eyes. There before her, was her momma, Ella's poppa, and Lucy Knight, all on their wooden swing, smiling at her, Mai Tai's in a pitcher near by. The golden field was swaying gently in the background, and the clouds gently floated by. Now knew that everything was really going to be fine.


	7. For You

Disclaimer: Nothing much has changed.

Author's note: Thanks for all the reviews; they really help me out and give me a smile. Yeah this is supposed to be the ch. 7 that I posted last week. Genius me loaded the wrong document…

Summer had faded into fall, and fall was slowing giving way to winter in Chicago. Shane hadn't been back since the funeral, but faithfully called Arianne every Saturday night at nine. Arianne had accepted the fact that Shane couldn't be with her all the time, and the phone calls had become, some weeks, the thing that kept her focus.

Arianne was just finishing a chart on a little girl named Belle, who was four and had the chicken pox. The child was sleeping on the table in exam four, and her mother was out getting coffee at Doc Magoos. Belle, red locks pouring over her face, looked so cold to Arianne, so she got up and put the child's coat over her like a blanket. She went back to her chart, and as she was adding the final signature a soft knock was heard at the door.

"Come in"

Shane slowly opened the door, and went he saw that Arianne had her back to him he whispered "Hey, Beautiful."

Arianne whipped around on her little stool and jumped out of her seat. She started to run to him, and when she was a foot or so away, she jumped on to Shane. Her legs wrapped around his waist while her arms wrapped around his neck. He nearly fell over, but somehow managed to stay upright.

"Hey, Stranger!!" she said, right before kissing him on his nose, her even longer black hair covering their two faces in a sort mysterious veil. 

"I missed you so much, you'll never know."  Shane said, setting his love back down on to the earth

Just then the door opened, and there was Belle's mother. She walked past Shane and right to her daughter, who had fallen asleep since she left.

"Excuse me, Dr. Carter, but Belle and I have to get going. Her older brother is at home with the baby." she said as she picked the sleeping child up "Thank you for helping her. She seems to have the worse than her brother did."

"That's quite all right Mrs. Kithen. I hope Belle starts to feel well soon."

"Thank you." was all that Mrs. Kithen could mouth as she started out of the door, trying her best not to wake Belle

"Shane," Arianne said when they were alone "I've missed you so much. Everyday seems to be drab because your not here with me."

"Well I just might have the solution to your problem."

"What do you mean?"

"I got a job at the paper here, as an investigative reporter. I'll be living here, so we'll won't be that far apart."

"You did that for me?" she asked

"For you."

"Where are you going to live?"

"In the apartment that is for rent right below yours!"

Arianne laughed a laugh that had a lightness and a sweetness to it that made her that much more wonderful to Shane.

"What's so funny?" he asked mockingly

"You. Hey, you can stay with me until your place is ready."

"Sure, that would be great. It will only be for a night or so."

"I have to tell you something first though."

"What?"

"I've…I've never have been with a man like that. So don't expect it, OK?"

"Arianne, neither haven't been with a girl like that, so its fine. Besides, I love you too much to do that, you know?"

"That's really nice to hear. I mean some guys, that's all that they want from me. It's comforting to know that you and I are on the same page when it comes to this stuff."

"When are you off shift?"

Arianne looked at her watch, "Five minutes ago."

"Want to go out to dinner or something?"

"Naw. I think that you should get settled in at my place. Besides, I just want to be close to you and talk."

Shane took Arianne's hand and they walked to the lounge. Abby was in there reading her magazine, and when they came in, she shot Arianne a look. It was a look of support with just a bit of teasing in it. She smiled back, and in return got one back. Abby just went back to her reading, keeping a slight smirk on her lips. 

She opened her locker, deposited her lab coat and her stethoscope, and put on her gray and red hoodie.  She then put on the gray scarf, hat and mitten set that Eleanor had gotten her for her last Christmas. Finally she threw her backpack over he shoulders and shut the door.

"All ready?" Shane asked

"Yep. 'Night, Abby."

" 'Night Carter, 'Night Shane."

"Good night, Nurse Kovac."

"It's just Abby."

"Good to know."

Arianne grabbed Shane's hand and together they walked out into the ambulance bay.

"Shane, I don't have my car here, it's in the shop, so can I just go back with you?"

"Yeah, of course."

Shane opened he passenger side door so that Arianne could get in. Once she was seated, he shut the door. Walking around to his door, he opened it and got in. Shane turned on the heat for Arianne and then they started off for the apartment building that wasn't but ten or so minutes from the hospital.

"I need to ask you something, Arianne."

"What?"

"I wanted to know if you would be interested in going back to Seattle for Thanksgiving."

"That's a week away!"

"I know that it's short notice, but if you would consider it."

"Only if Poppa can come. I'm his only family, and I'd hate to see him alone on Thanksgiving."

"He's welcome too. He's your father, and family should be together for the holidays."

"Thanks, Shane. It means a lot to me"

When they pulled up to the apartment building, Arianne got out her keys. She got out and made a slight dash for the front door and once there, she put her key in.

 "What's the hurry?" Shane said getting his bag out of the trunk, for everything else was going to be shipped in a few days.

"It's starting to snow! That's the hurry!"

Within minutes Arianne was outside her fifth story apartment, fumbling to find her key. Once she got it, the door to her apartment swung open and Arianne flipped the light switch. What was revealed astounded Shane. All the furniture was from the Carter mansion, and it made the room seem more luxurious than it really was. The living room was filled with wing backed chairs and a massive overstuffed sofa sat so that the person sitting on it could see the TV, which was housed in a cherry wood entertainment center with a stereo. 

"Wow!" Shane said when he saw all the things in the living room

"Shane, these are things from the Carter mansion that's all. Gamma left them to me when she died a few years back. Sit down and make yourself comfortable, I'm going to go change."

Shane did what he was invited to do, but not before looking at the CDs that were stacked by the stereo. They were mostly pop and alternative. After looking about, he sat back down on to the sofa, and closed his eyes. Arianne cam out a few minutes later and realized that he was sleeping. Going to her linens closet, she got out a pale yellow fleece throw and covered Shane with it. She kissed his forehead lightly and turned off the light. She decided that this was only the start to something wonderful and life changing. 


	8. It's OK

Disclaimer: Nothing new…

Author's note: Hey, sorry about the chapter seven thing…genius me loaded the wrong document. 

Arianne was in trauma one with a six-year-old boy, who was stable, but waiting for a surgical consult for his double fractured leg. He fell off his skateboard and his father took him to the ER. 

"Dr. Arianne?" the child asked

"Yes, Kenny?"

"Will it hurt when the other doctor comes?"

"No, it won't hurt at all. They are just going to look at it, just like I did and Nurse Abby did. I promise."

"You're a really nice doctor."

"Well, you're a very nice kiddo to be around."

"Carter!" Abby yelled in to the trauma room "There is a MVA here and they need this room!"

"Kiddo, we need to get outta Dodge!" Arianne said as she took the gurney into the hallway so Kenny could stay in exam three

Just as they were leaving Arianne heard Kerry Weaver asking the paramedics the victim's name.

"His driver's license said 'Shane Ross'"

Arianne's face went pale and shivers raced up and down her spine. Without even thinking she ran in to the trauma room. Kenny was left puzzled, laying on his gurney. She nearly threw up when she saw Shane's face, mangled with glass, steel, and blood. She put her hands to cover her mouth and her breathing became heavy and short.

"Carter! Get out of here!" Kerry yelled

"No! What's he had so far?"

"Demerol, 4 units O neg, and 1 liter of saline."

"I lost a pulse!"

"Get the deliberator!" cried Arianne, giving CPR "Charge to 200!"

"Clear."

"No change."

"350!"

"Clear."

"Still not responding"

"450!"

"Clear."

"Again!"

"No response"

"Crack his chest!"

Arianne did so, and when she got to his heart, she started cardiac massage. She held her lovers heart, trying to make it work again. It needed to work; it had to work. Arianne worked the muscle for a good half hour with little success.

"The internal paddles, Abby! Get them!"

"Arianne, he's gone. I'm sorry, baby, but he's gone with your momma." Abby said

"No! No! No! No! No!" she yelled, "He's still here! We can still save him!"

"I'm sorry, but you have to let go. You should call it."

"Never! It's not over."

"Time of death, 20:09" Kerry interjected

"NO!" Arianne screamed at the top of her lungs

Suddenly she felt someone's arms wrapped around her, comforting her.

"Arianne, wake up! Please, wake up!" Shane's concerned voice said

Arianne's eyes flew open and she found herself sting straight up in bed, sweat and tears all over her face. Shane was here, holding her, comforting her.

"Shane, you, you died, and there was nothing I could do."

"Beautiful, I'm right here. I'm fine; you just had a bad dream. I heard you screaming from the couch so I came back here."

"It was so real though." she said, collapsing into Shane's lap, for he was sitting on her bed now. 

"Shhhh…" he murmured, "It's all OK."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"Will you stay with me?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'll just go and get the blanket, and I'll sleep next to your bed. I'll be right back."

Arianne put her head on her pale peach silk pillowcase, and tried to calm down. She wiped her hair from her face, and took a few deep breaths. Pulling the covers around her, Arianne thought of her mother, and wondered if that was the way she went. Shane came back after she had re-situated herself.

"Shane?"

"Yeah?" he said, lying down next to the cherry wood four-poster canopy bed

" Hold my hand please." She said, rolling on her side, letting her hand go down to his level

"Of course I will." Shane said, taking her rather fine hand into his big and strong one

Arianne drifted off to sleep, slowly but surely. The two sounds that lulled her down to that delightful state of tranquility was Shane's even breathing, and the wonderful lullaby that her mother always sang to her every night. 


	9. Generous

Disclaimer: I don't own anything dealing with ER.

Author's note: Please, pretty please review. Next to diamonds there a girls' best friend!

Shane, Arianne, and John all sat in a row on the plane that was destined for Shane's home of Seattle. John Cater sat next to the window, Shane sat in the middle, and Arianne sat in the seat closest to the aisle. 

"Dr. Carter," Shane began "Thank you for upgrading the tickets to first class."

"Well thank you for buying the tickets to begin with."

"That's Poppa for ya, always the generous one."

""Well not as generous as you were when you were a child."

"Do I sense a childhood story about to be told?"

"Yeah, I'd say so. Go ahead Poppa."

"When Arianne was, oh five or six, Chuny had to bring her to the ER until I got off shift. Well Chuny brought in a bag of a few doll s and books for Arianne to play with in the lounge. Arianne just didn't want to stay where she was suppose to, so she took her bag of toys and walked right out of the lounge. There was a little girl who was about her age in the ER that day; I think that she was in for some type of liver failure. Arianne saw the girl, alone because her single father was with the other children, and felt sorry for her. She got out her dolls and asked if the girl wanted to play. The girl didn't have any dolls, even at home, so Arianne let the girl pick one of her own dolls for keeps. The doll that the little girl picked was a china doll made in France, the one that Gamma had custom made for her birthday. When I got off shift a bit later, I found Arianne sitting on the girl's bed. The girl was asleep with the doll in her arms and Arianne reading her some fairy tale from a big book."

"Ahhh…so sweet."

"Shane…."

"Now you two, let's not start."

Arianne started to get up from where she was sitting.

"Where you going?" Shane asked

"Just to the washroom."

When she was out of hearing range, Shane turned the conversation towards a much more serious topic.

"Dr. Carter?"

"Yeah."

"This weekend I'm planning on asking Arianne to marry me. I'd like your blessing on the engagement. I love your daughter so much and she is the best think that has ever happened to me."

"This is a life changing decision, you know."

 "Yes, sir, I understand that one hundred percent. I'm ready to share the rest of my life with your daughter."

"Are you sure that you are capable of supporting Arianne and any children that you might have?"

"I have a good hold in the market and have enough money to support three people for a year stashed away in a savings account that I set up when I was eighteen. My job at the paper is secure and I'm being considered for a position as assistant editor. If I did get the promotion I would bring home five thousand more a year than I do now."

 "I know that Arianne is crazy about you and genuinely loves you like I loved her mother when she was alive. She glows whenever she talks about you. Its so wonderful to see her happy and in love with a nice guy. You're nothing like your father, well at least when I knew him. Yes you have my blessing, welcome to the family."

"I wouldn't say that quite yet. She hasn't said yes yet."

John Carter laughed, but it wasn't his usual laugh. This one had a tone of sadness to it. His baby girl, and that is how he still thought of her, was going to get engaged. In his heart of hearts he knew that she wouldn't say no to Shane's proposal. 

"You guys have a good talk while I was gone?" Arianne asked as she sat back down

"Yeah, yah. I'd say so, would you, Shane?"

"Definably"

"Ok, I don't know what's going on with you two. Hey, Shane, what time does the plane get in at?"

"Like an hour and a half-ish."

"Well in that case, I'm gonna take a cat nap." Arianne said yawning

Arianne set her head against Shane's chest and he wrapped a protective arm around her and held her close to him. She listened to his beating heart and his even breathing and it took her away. Shane was her harbor, the one who would protect her from the world. He laid his head on top of hers and inhaled the scent of her hair. It was like a field of lavender and rose; the most wonderful think that he had ever smelled. 


	10. Reminisce

Disclaimer: The standard stuff… I don't own ER, the TPTB do. 

Author's note: I hope that you all have enjoyed this so far…a slight change of pace in this chapter, tell me what you think please! This just one idea of how Carter might be when he's in his fifties.

The plane landed at gate twenty-two at 7:42 PM Chicago time, making it 5:42 PM Seattle time. Up until that time Doug Ross had been sitting in the waiting room for the past half hour looking out at the tarmac, watching the planes come and go. When the passengers started to depart, he got up and started to scan the passengers.

"Carter!" Doug yelled, causing both Arianne and bring their heads up

Once they had made it out of the herd of passengers that departed from the jumbo jet, the trio made it over to their host.

"Hey Pop."

"Hello, Dr. Ross."

"Call me Doug, Arianne. Hey Carter."

"Hi, Doug. How are ya?"

"Pretty good. Do you want to head over to baggage claim, and get your bags?"

"Sure, but I want to get one of those carts for the bags."

"I'll get it." Shane volunteered

"I'll go with you." Arianne quickly added

They started off toward gate 18, which is where the carts where stored. A few yards away from their fathers, Arianne grabbed Shane's hand. Pretty soon after that, they were swallowed up by the masses at the terminal.

"They remind me so much of you and Carol, Doug."

"Shane has charm, but he is absolutely nothing like we were."

"Yeah, nothing like us. Arianne hasn't been this serious about a guy since med school. I think is name was Gregg. One day he was there and the next he wasn't, and Arianne never told me about it, and I didn't want to push it."

"Shane had this girlfriend, they were really serious. She moved to New York to become some journalism professor. After she moved, Shane gave her an ultimatum. She didn't comply and he hasn't heard from her since."

" She's really happy though. She practily glows when she talks about him or his near her."

"You know, Carter, he's gonna ask her to marry him soon."

"Yeah, he even asked for my blessing on the plane when Arianne went to the washroom."

"I think Carol's mom would have killed me if I even came within a hundred feet of her apartment."

"Didn't even occur to me to ask Cookie about marrying Susan."

"Weird to think that we'll be related. I mean I still think of you as the med student who came to County aspiring to be a surgeon. Wanting to defy the Carter family business and what it stood for."

"Well then I can tell our grandchildren about how their Grandpa Ross played tricks on Grandpa Carter."

"What tricks?" Doug asked innocently

"Let's see. The casting of my leg, giving me all the bizarre cases that whole thing."

"You always had it coming. I mean, you challenging me and Mark to a game b-ball?"

"That was so long ago. Everything from those days seems so long ago."

"It was, I mean almost thirty years is a very long time."

"Yeah, I mean I still wonder about what would have happen if I had listened to Lucy. My life could have been totally different."

"Listen to me. Life isn't always how you plan it out."

"I lost the three women that I love the most, and three of them should still be here. Susan died giving birth to our baby, Lucy died because I didn't listen to her. Their deaths were my fault.  I've killed two of the women that I loved more than anything else. Every single day I deal with that. Gamma, she was the only steady force in my life. She was brought in while I was on shift and I couldn't save her."

"Carter, you can't change the past. Arianne is a wonderful person and she is in love, just like you loved Susan. All of us have your demons. There isn't a day that goes by that I regret not going back to Carol when she told me she was having Tess and Kate. She deserved so much better than I gave her."

Arianne and Shane returned to their fathers a few minutes later. The four of them made it to the baggage claim with no major incidents. After grabbing their luggage and loading it on to the cart that Shane and Arianne got, they all headed out to where Doug's sports car was parked. The walk was a good twenty minutes, but the conversation kept the pace from becoming too tedious.

 Arianne mainly listened to everyone, because she herself comprehended what could happen to her and Shane. She loved him and she was positive that he loved her. That in of itself made the future look a whole lot brighter than the dreary Seattle skies above. 


	11. Out On The Town

Disclaimer: The usual 

Author's note: Nothing special, just please review! 

Arianne and her father had been staying at Doug and Carol's house for three days now, and Thanksgiving was tomorrow. Shane was staying at his parents' house also, but he slept in his childhood bedroom while John slept in Kate's old room and Arianne in Tess'. The whole arrangement was pleasant, with everyone getting along. John, Carol, and Doug all reminisced about their lives thirty years ago. Shane and Arianne loved learning about their parents past. 

Carol, already clad in jeans and a sweatshirt, was in the kitchen that Thanksgiving eve morning starting to get the turkey defrosted. Her husband and her houseguests where still asleep, leaving just her and her son up. The house was quiet with just he two of them, bringing back memories of when the two of them spent the mornings together before he went to nursery school in the afternoon. 

"Hey Mom." Shane said as he opened the fridge to get some orange juice

"Hey." Carol said as she set the giant bird wrapped in plastic into a bowl of cool water

"Can you take Arianne shopping today?"

"For what? Does she need anything?"

"Well, can you go with her to buy a formal gown? I mean I'll give you the money and all that, I just need you to take her."

"You guys going dancing or something?"

"You could say that." he said taking a glass down from the cupboard 

"Well once she gets up and ready for the day I'll ask her if she wants to go with me dress shopping. I need a new dress for this Pediatrics Association of Seattle gala next week any who so it all works out."

"Thanks." Shane said as poured his juice

"Your welcome, but I need you to open the fridge for me?" Carol said as she struggled with the heavy brown and beige ceramic bowl that contained the following night's supper

"Yeah, yeah." he said, setting his glass on the counter

Arianne came down a few minutes later, her windbreaker pants sounding her arrival. She was very much dressed down this morning, in comparison to the other days she was there. Usually she wore jeans and a trendy top, but this morning windbreaker pants and a baggy shirt from Harvard, which is where she studied pre-med, took the place of the jeans and trendy top. 

"Morning, Shane. Morning, Carol." Arianne said through a yawn

"Hey, Beautiful." Shane answered as he gave her a kiss on the cheek 

"Morning Arianne. I was wondering if you want to go dress shopping with me today. Doug and I are going to this gala next week and I need a new dress for it.  I just need to clean up here and then we can go."

"That sounds great, but I don't have money with me for a formal gown."

"I've got it covered." Shane reassured as he pulled out a check from his checkbook. "All you have to do is fill in the amount and the store."

"Shane, this is really generous of you. I don't want to spend all of your money though."

"Don't worry about it. Honestly, so long as you don't buy out all of the mall I think that we'll be fine."

"Okay then, if you're sure."

"I am."

"Just let me go upstairs to do my hair and then we can go Arianne."

"Take your time."

Carol washed her hands and left the recently remodeled kitchen. Shane and Arianne sat at the kitchen table, set with just two chairs, and read the paper. Arianne read the Culture section while Shane was absorbed into his Sports section.

"Shane, why do you want me to buy a dress?"

"Well tonight we're going out, and I think that you deserve to have a wonderful new dress."

"Where are we going?"

A sly flirty smile crossed Shane's face "Well, you'll find out soon enough."

"Don't to this to me. You know how much I hate suspense!"

"And that is exactly why I'm not telling you right now. Peak your interest a bit."

Arianne just rolled her eyes and sighed as she re-did her ponytail. "Shane was something else when he wanted to be" she thought "That is part of his charm."

"Arianne, ready when you are." Carol said as she put on her coat, which was hanging over a chair in the other room

"Just let me put my coat on." Arianne said as she got up and joined Carol in the other room. 

"Have fun you two." Shane said as he folded the newspaper and took another sip of his juice

Carol and Arianne got into Carol's little car and started to the shops downtown.

"What kind of dress do you think I should get for tonight Carol?"

"I don't know what he has planned for you. I would say get something timeless and classy."

"The little back dress?"

"Not necessarily. Think of all those actresses in those old black and while movies. They wore timeless styles that weren't just the little black dress."

"I guess so. I just don't want to dressed really out of place."

"You can see what you see at the shops."

"I wonder what Shane has cooked up for me? I mean he's such a sweet guy."

"Well you're a really nice person and I'm glad that you two found each other."

"It's really cool to actually meet you and Doug. I mean Ella and I have been told stories all about you two."

"Oh yeah? Which ones?"

"Um… lets see here. There was the one about Ricky Abbot. Your wedding that didn't happen. Doug's string of ex's is another one. How you wanted to adopt that little Russian girl.  My favorite was how you just got up and left Chicago to be with Doug. Then some others that I can't think of right now."

"My wedding to Tag…that was ages ago. Well I guess I shouldn't call it a wedding should I? Tatiana, I haven't thought of her in a long while. I wanted her so bad; she deserved a good home. She would have too, if I wasn't so stupid and tried to kill myself. That's why they wouldn't let me adopt her. As for me going to Doug with the twins, it was just what I had to do. I mean our babies deserved their father."

The rest of the ride was filled with small talk and the like. The first shop that they hit was a little boutique off the main streets and was run by a middle-aged woman. The woman was at the counter, reading a paperback romance novel and popping bubble gum. 

"Oh, Carol!" Arianne breathed as she walked the shop. 

Her eyes scanned the racks of elegant gowns, gowns that were shimmery and gowns that were flocked. After poking about for a few minutes, Arianne found the most wonderful dress that she had ever seen. It was garnet colored velveteen and went down to the floor. On the empire waist started a clear shimmery material that fell all the way to the hem. The spaghetti straps joined the square neckline, which was traced with little clear glass beads in a swirly vine pattern. Quickly she took the dress of the rack and took it to the dressing area. 

"Carol?" Arianne called once she was in the dress

"Yeah?" she said standing outside of he curtained off area.

"Can you button this gown up?"

"Sure." Carol said as she pushed the curtains aside

Arianne took Carol's breath away when she saw her. The dress seems to be made just for her. All of her best features where brought out, and she looked like a real fairy tale princess. When Arianne turned around, Carol took to the take of fastening all the little buttons on the back of the oh-so-elegant gown. 

"Oh, Arianne! This dress was made for you! Everything about is wonderful on you."

"I love too. The best part about it is that it's on sale, thirty-five percent off! Did you find anything?"

"Yeah, but it isn't as pretty as this is on you."

"You can pull anything off, Carol. Show me what it looks like, please?"

"Okay, sure, why not?"

Carol left Arianne and when to the chair where she placed her gown. She then went to the other dressing room and put on the much simpler gown. It was a deep purple dress what when to the floor also. It had a mandarin collar and was sleeveless. There was a slit on the right side that went up to Carol's knee. All over the dress was an embroidered pattern of little flowers in a shade darker purple. 

"Carol, can I come in?"

"Yeah."

Carol looked wonderful in the dress. It was sophisticated and perfect for the gala that she and Doug where to attend.

"So what do you think?"

"I think that this is the dress that you should get. Without a doubt you should get it."

"Well you can go and get your gown together while I change, and then we can go pay."

After a few moments Carol re-emerged in her sweatshirt and jeans, gown folded over her arm. Together they went up to the register and paid. The owner, still popping her bubble gum constantly, put the gowns in their own bags.

"Have a nice holiday ladies."

"You too, Harriet." Arianne said, reading the nametag that was pinned to her sweater

Carol and Arianne went back to the car, putting their newly bought gowns in the trunk.

"Hey, is there anywhere else that we need to go?"

"Nope, well that is if you don't need anything."

"I'm pretty much set, I just want to know what Shane has planned out for me."

"I'm sure that you'll love it. I mean he knows what he's doing…or so I hope."

Looking at the clock, Arianne saw that it was eleven-thirty. That would mean that they wouldn't get back to the house until noon.

"Arianne, I wanted to ask you something."

"Shoot."

"Do people even remember what happened to Lucy?"

"Not really, not they way that we know about it. They just know that some patient with schizophrenia murdered a med student on Valentines. Abby, Luka, Chuny, and I know it though. We're the ones who make sure that there is no blue cake, or loud music. We also try to avoid the room too."

"Well at least you know about it, I mean she deserves to be remembered."

"I'm sure she does. Well I know it; no one should be forgotten. Part of me hates the man that did it for tearing Poppa's world apart. I mean he was addicted to pain killers for crying out loud!"

"Well I don't know what ever happened to him, but he has to deal with the idea that he killed a wonderful young woman and nearly killed a fine doctor. That is worse than anything the state could do to him."

The drive was quiet from then on, both woman lost in thoughts and wonderings. The only sound that was in the car as in made its way through Seattle was the soft rock station. Arianne wanted to sign to her favorites, but she wasn't really in the mood. All she could think of what if Lucy Knight never died. Would she and Poppa fallen in love? From what she gathered from people, they were starting to fall in love, but their teacher-student relationship wouldn't let them become a couple.

********************Eight That Night**************************

After Carol worked on her hair for the past hour, Arianne made her way down the steps, all dressed up for her night with Shane.  Her hair was French braided and she was sliding her necklace, the one that was her Momma's and she never took off, for that is what she did when she didn't know what else to do with her hands. Carol loaded Arianne her black velvet wrap to keep her warm on the cold night. In her left hand she carried a little drawstring purse and in the other hand she held the wrap. 

"Thanks you look good in that suit."

Shane extended his arm to her, and together they walked out the limo that Shane had arranged to pick them up. 

"I love you, Shane."

"I love you too." he said, just before he planned a little kiss on her nose


	12. Surprise

Disclaimer: Still don't own ER…and I don't own anything pertaining to the songs that I have listed or referenced. So please don't sue me!

Author's note: Please review!

Earlier that day, Shane went to his old high school. It was a private prep school and three miles from the Space Needle. He sought out his old head master, and told him of his plans. Shane then wrote a check for the use of the gym for the night. After he paid, he went back to his car to get the supplies necessary. Inside the bag were Christmas lights, masking tape, paper cutouts of roses, balloons yet to be blown up, and lastly a portable stereo. Inside the stereo was a burned CD of all of Arianne's favorite songs. 

All the students were gone, for it was the day before Thanksgiving, and the head master gave them the day off. The gym empty, and to Shane, a pure canvas to start with. He took the yards of Christmas lights, plugged them in and stated to form a path with them. The first string formed the right side of the path, and the second the other side. Using the third strand, he made a giant heart on the floor with it, thirty feet from dip to point. After that, he plugged the stereo in on the far side of the gym and placed it out of the way. Shane's next task was to blow up all the balloons of blue and purple, Arianne's favorite colors, and scatter them over the gym. Next to last, he undid the bleachers so that there were three rows to sit on. Before he went, he taped up the rose cut outs to the wall and stashed the bag for all the things he brought underneath the bleachers. As Shane walked out, he turned out the overhead lights. The effect he created was exactly what he hoped for.

~~~***~~~***~~~***~~~***~~~***~~~          

The limo pulled up to the school's gym entrance and a bit past eight-thirty. The driver got out and opened the door for Shane and Arianne. 

"Shane, what are we doing here? Weren't we supposed to go dancing?"

"Hey Beautiful, don't worry about it, I got it under control."

"Okay…"

"Wanna go inside? It's really cold out here."

"Yeah, I'm freezing."

Shane offered his arm to Arianne and together they entered the school. 

"Close your eyes."

Arianne did as she was told to do, and he held the door for her she could sense something in the air. Shane then took her hand and let her down the hallway and into what seems to Arianne a dimly lighted room. Slowly he lead her though the path and into the big heart.  Letting got of her hand; he got the little forest green velvet box out of his suit jacket's pocket. 

"Open your eyes." Shane whispered from bended knee

Arianne couldn't believe her eyes, there was the love of her life, on his knee, with an open jewelry box. 

"Shane…" she whispered

"Arianne, I love you more than you'll ever know. I can't promise you that it will be easy, and I can't promise you that we'll never face adversity together. I can promise you two things, and it's that I'll be here for you, and that I'll love you to the end of time. Arianne, will you be my wife?"

Arianne, tears brimming in her eyes, got down on her knees to put herself level with Shane.

"Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!"

"Then I take it that you would want to wear this?" he said, taking out he ring that he bought

The ring's focal point was the one-karat heart shaped diamond set in the band of white gold. On each side of the diamond was a sapphire weighing one-fourth karat. Very gently he slipped the ring on to his fiancée's left ring finger. Arianne had tears falling down her cheeks by this point, little riverlettes forming on her cheeks. He then out his silk handkerchief and wiped away her happy tears. Then, taking her hand, he helped her up, and then he himself got up. 

"Shane, what are all the lights and decorations and balloons for?"

"Well remember how you told me that you missed your senior prom because you had the flu?"

"Yeah."

"Well it might be over a decade late, but here it is."

"I cannot believe you." Arianne said, now laughing

"Well you'd better believe it." Shane said as he walked over to where he hid the stereo

Once he has messed with the knobs and buttons, the music came out for the speakers and into the gym. Shane walked back to his wife-to-be and saw her softly swaying to her favorite slow song, "To Where You Are" by Josh Groban. Taking her right hand in his, he put in between them, all the while his hand going to her waist, and her free hand to the base of his neck.  She rested her head on his strong, sure shoulders and let herself go. She finally could forget about the world, for at that every moment, she was in her own little bubble. The bubble in which there were three things, Shane, herself, and their love. The next song that played was the faster "Like A Prayer" and they danced to that. Everything was how Arianne wished it would be. She was with the man, who she would marry, the one who she would wake up with every morning, the one that she had loved since that very first day. 

" You know, the best headache I ever got was when I bumped into you." Arianne whispered

"Yeah, serendipity is something like that."

"So, how long have you had this planned?"

"Since I moved to Chicago."

"Ahh…and let me guess, I'm the last to know about it?"

"Well, your father knows, my parents know, and I think that Tess has an idea, but other than that…."

 "So I'm low on the list of those who know about our engagement?"

"I wouldn't say low." Shane said dipping her

"Hey do you want to take a breather?"

"Yeah, sure."

"So, there is one thing about this I need to ask you."

"What's that, Beautiful?" Shane asked, tucking a lock of hair that fell out of Arianne's French braid, and tucking if behind her ear

"Is this going to be a long engagement?"

"Do you want it to be one?"

"Yeah, I mean I love you and I want to marry you, but I don't want to rush off and do it. I want to plan a wonderful wedding, find the perfect gown, the right flowers. I want it to be something that isn't rushed."

"Then it won't be, Arianne, it won't be. I want this wedding to be everything that you ever dreamed of."

It seemed like an eternity they sat there, enjoying each other's presence. They danced some more, but after three hours, the limo came to pick them up. Shane left up all the decorations, tomorrow he would come to get them, but right now he just wanted to with his fiancée. 

The limo pulled up to Shane's house at midnight, and after the driver helped Arianne out, Shane gave him his tip. The front door was unlocked, and he thought that was odd, but really didn't give it that much thought. He held the door for Arianne as she entered the darkened room that was filled with warmth.

"Good night, Arianne." Shane said at the steps going up to the bedrooms, for Shane's bedroom was off the main floor

" 'Night, Love."


	13. Welcome To The Family

Disclaimer: I don't own ER…yeah, I really don't.

Author's note: Sorry that this took so long to get up…

Arianne woke up that Thanksgiving morning and first thing she did was check out her left ring finger. That wonderful symbol of Shane's love was right there, tangible and real. She held it out in front of her and let the dawn's light play with it. The light refracted on everything in the room, including her formal gown draped over a chair the corner. 

There was a knock at her door and instinctively, Arianne pulled the covers up even though she had on a tee and flannel pants.

"Come in."

"Hey, Beautiful." Shane said as he opened the door, a breakfast tray in his hands

"Oh, hi."

"That's all I get? I bring you breakfast and I get an 'Oh, hi'?"

"Sorry. Thank you, my gallant knight in shining armor."

"You're welcome, milady." Shane said, setting the tray down on the nightstand by the bed. 

"So how did you sleep?"

"I didn't.  Just kept thinking of you."

"I can't believe that we are actually getting married, ya know?"

"Arianne Grace Cater, I love you more, more that I thought I could ever love a person."

Arianne moved over to the far side of the full sized bed and peeled back the comforter. She patted the side that she had vacated, wanting Shane to be near her. Shane sat down on the bed, and put the covers over himself. Arianne breathed deep and put her head on his shoulder.

"Shane, I don't know about it all."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. It's like, wow. This whole time I've meet you, I've been just content with everything."

"So how are we going to tell everyone?"

"I don't know."

"Maybe I should just wear it and not say anything. You know, let them figure it out." 

"I guess so."

"I change my mind."

"About marrying me?" Shane asked, a note of panic ringing in his voice

"No! I mean about a long engagement. I don't want to wait to become your wife."

"Too bad it's Thanksgiving."

"Why is that…?"

"Because if you wanted to, you can get dressed in the gown you bought yesterday, and me and you can go the city hall and get married there."

"Well everything is open tomorrow, you know."

"I thought that you wanted a big wedding and all that."

"What matters is that, well, we're together. We live in the same apartment complex and all that, so we're never that far apart. I love you, and we should get married the way that we both want to."

"I don't want you to regret anything about our wedding day."

"I would have no reason to regret anything because I am marrying the love of my life and that is the end of that Mr. Ross."

'Miss Carter, you are quite the woman."

"I am, am I?"

"Yes you are. You are the type of woman that novels are made of."

"Well, then you should be thankful that I'm going to be your wife." she said, a smile playing with her lips

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Arianne and Shane made their way down the stairs eventually, and when they got down a wave of delicious smells hit them. Shane walked into the living room where Carter and Doug where, while Arianne went to the kitchen to help her soon to be mother in law.  

"Hey, Carol. Do you need any help?"

"Sure, you can get the pie crust out of the fridge."

"Right on it. What kind of pie are you making?"

"Apple." Carol said as Arianne set the curst next to where Carol was working. 

When she set it down, she made sure that Carol was on her left side so that she could see the ring that she had received only hours earlier.  Carol, once she has spotted the heart shaped diamond, yelled "Carter!"

John in the other room was thrown into some sort of time warp. Just like the good old days when she would do that when something had happen. Getting up with swiftness, he ran into the kitchen. Once there he was met with Carol holding Arianne's hand, and Arianne with one of the smiles that made her look like Susan.

"Umm…Poppa, I'm getting married."

John, for a second seemed to lose it for a moment, but really, he was remembering when he asked Susan to marry him. She glowed just like Arianne was glowing now. Arianne always seemed to emulate her mother, even though she ever knew her, and it always blew John away.

"Arianne, that's wonderful. I'm so happy for you."

"Welcome to the family, Arianne." Carol put in


	14. Planning and Surprises

Disclaimer: As much as I'd like to, I don't own ER.

Author's Note's: the name Kada is said KAY-da

Arianne, John, and Shane had been back in Chicago for a month now.It was almost Christmas, which meant that it was Arianne's favorite time of year. The snow was coming down in little bursts and all seem right with the world. 

Arianne had invited Ella over to help her with the wedding plans. Ella, being the great friend that she was, agreed to help plan the wedding. Shane was going to come up from his apartment to help, but had to take an assignment out of town. He said that it would bring in extra money so Arianne could have whatever kind of wedding she wanted. 

The doorbell rang and Arianne got up from the kitchen table where she was going through some bridesmaids gowns in a magazine. Opening the door there was Ella and her two walking daughters in toe, sleeping baby Tacy in a stroller. Each of the girls was holding their own bag full of goodies.

*They were getting so big now!*

"Hey Ella." Then bending down to the two girls' level she added"Hi, Kada! Hi, Zoie!"

"Hi, Annie!" three year old Zoie piped up while the shyer Kada walked behind her mother

"Hey, so I hear that your getting married!" Ella said, setting the diaper bag on the couch

"Yeah, imagine that!"

"I told you this would be fun…"

"You're waaaaaaaaay to much some times Elly."

"Girls, I want you to be good, okay? I'm going to help Annie now."

Kada just nodded and Zoie followed her big sister's lead.

Ella pushed the stroller into the kitchen, following Arianne. Surveying the contents of the table, Ella knew that Arianne hadn't limited anything down yet.

"So where do I even start?!" Arianne asked

"Okay," Ella said sitting down, "Do you want a daytime or nighttime wedding?"

"Well, we want to get married in the summer, so I guess more of an afternoon type."

"Now, do you know what kind of wedding gown you want?"

"I was hoping to wear my momma's wedding gown."

"Oh, you'd look great in it. It's a perfect for a summer wedding."

"Okay so we have the time and the dress. What next?"

"You know, I have no clue how you got through Harvard med school sometimes. I really don't."

"Well, I know absolutely nothing about weddings!"

"Who is going to be in your bridal party?"

"You as my matron of honor, my friend Jessa as a bridesmaid too. Then Kada as a flower girl, that is if you don't mind."

"I'm sure she'd love to."

"So for the colors. I was thinking of a pale yellow or a dusty rose color."

"Well we can get the style of gown you want in any color that you want."

Arianne and Ella spent the afternoon planning the wedding. It seemed to Arianne that something was a bit off with her best friend, but she quickly shoved it aside. Ella would have told her if something was wrong, right?

By the time that they had finished the basic details of the wedding, all three of the little girls were asleep. Kada and Zoie shared the sofa, and Tacy was still asleep in the stroller.

"I can't wait to have children, Elly."

"It's great. As much as you want to gripe during the day, when you see them sleeping and at peace, you know that it's all worth it."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"I'm going to have another baby." Ella said off handedly

"Ella, that's wonderful! I'm so happy for you." Arianne replied, giving her lifelong friend a hug

"Mike nearly died when I told him. He's really hoping for a boy this time around."

"Well it's to late to decide that now."

"I guess so."

"Shane was saying how he wants to have kids not right away, but soon."

"Is that what you want?"

"It doesn't matter. I mean, my job is secure at the hospital and there will be plenty of people to help us."

"You're going to be so happy."

"Yeah, I know we are."

"Just think, half Carter and half Ross' running round. They're going to be little heart breakers!"


End file.
